Edgartown: Island Alpaca open house, “The Polar Express” showing, and Edgartown School Winter Concert

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—MV Times

I don’t know about you, but I’m still full from Thanksgiving, and yet we are in full swing into the Christmas season now. I’m not complaining, believe me. I love this time of year, and I’m enjoying watching the decorations go up. Ocean Park looked amazing tonight as I drove by, and many houses already look festive and bright. The best present for me is Amelia coming home from Europe next week, and if all works out, Riley will be home just before Christmas. That will make me a happy Mama.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went over to my cousin Jennifer Corwin Van Gelder’s house, where my sister and her husband also joined the fun. It was a potluck buffet, and it was one of the best Thanksgiving I’ve had in quite some time. Don’t get me wrong. We’ve had some lovely Thanksgivings, but there is just something more fun about being with extended family. Our Thanksgivings over the past several years have been immediate family, which isn’t much different from any other dinner. At any rate, this year was a great time, and I’m so grateful that we were able to pull it off. Now, after all these years doing separate things, we’re making plans for the next holiday celebration. Christmas, perhaps?

Big happy birthday wishes go out to one of the nicest seventh graders, not family but still family, and newly crowned teenager, Griffin Craig, who turned 13 on Nov. 25. What? How did that happen so fast? Hope you had a great day, Griff. 

Another big happy birthday goes out to one of the most amazing, adventurous, and intelligent people I have the pleasure to know, Sam Low, on Nov. 29. He is a wealth of knowledge. And still other birthday wishes go out to Violet Cabot and Ryan Ruley on Nov. 30, Valerie LaVigne on Dec. 2, Fire Chief Alex Schaeffer, also on Dec. 2, Thayer Whipple and Ellie Parece on Dec. 4, and Joanie Creato on Dec. 5.

As I write, it just came across the news that they’ve caught another suspect in the bank robbery. The crime appears to be unwinding, and it seems unlikely that all the suspects won’t be captured sooner, rather than later. I’m so grateful to all of the law enforcement officers who have been working hard on solving this scary crime.

Island Alpaca invites you to bring the family and your out-of-town holiday guests for a unique experience, including a gift shop which includes locally grown garments, plus down-on-the-farm furry fun. Get up close with the friendly, fluffy alpaca, and meet their new babies. Enjoy some hot cider while watching the alpaca, or take in the alpaca video presentation. Bring home a sample of their fleece harvest to your family and friends. Alpacas are also for sale. The holiday open house will run weekends from now until Dec. 30 from 10 am until 4 pm, rain or shine. They are located at Head of the Pond Road in Oak Bluffs, and you can contact them at 508-693-5554.

The M.V. Film Center, in collaboration with the Vineyard Haven library, will show “The Polar Express” at 11 am on Dec. 4. Reserve your free tickets online ahead of time to ensure you have admission. 

The Edgartown School’s annual Winter Concert, presented by the kindergarten through eighth grade students, will be on Dec. 12, from 6 to 7 pm. This is always an fun event, and a great way to get into the holiday spirit. And our new music teacher, Lucas Nascimento, is amazing. He joined our staff in late October, I think, so to even attempt a concert is impressive. But the kids all dress up and look their best, and it’s fun to hear all the different songs, some classics and some new. And the little kids are always just adorable. Hope to see you there.

Hanukkah this year begins on the evening of Dec. 18, and ends on the evening of Dec. 26. I always try to learn a little bit more about Hanukkah each year. I have always known the basic story, but I do enjoy learning more details, and even learning about why the date changes each year. I encourage you to look it up this year to learn more. It’s so important to learn about each other as best we can, isn’t it?

I think that’s about it. Have a great week.